New beginnings bring old heartbreak
by DaisyRae-152
Summary: When Maya finally wins the long game she thinks she has everything she ever wanted. Josh is hers forever, signified by the ring on her finger, she's an art student with huge prospects and work already displayed in galleries. But as her happily ever after begins to creep closer she starts to worry she may have been playing the wrong game.
1. Chapter 1 (Maya's goodbye)

Maya took one last look at the world she was leaving behind. She stood beside the door to a car which contained every single thing she owned and looked around at all the people who loved her and that she had come to love in return. Her eyes first fell on Riley, the girls had said goodbye just minutes ago in the bay window which would always be their haven. Maya's tears were still wet on her cheeks but Riley still cried though, as always, she tried to smile through her heartbreak. Anything to make sure Maya got everything she wanted. Maya was sad that she and Riley would soon be miles apart but she knew this wasn't really goodbye, her friend would always remain a part of her life and even though she wouldn't be there to watch, Maya was excited to hear about the wonderful things Riley would do next. Standing beside Riley was Farkle, he held the girl close, comforting her as he always had and always would. It was his promise to take care of Riley which had given Maya the strength to move away and follow her dreams, if he hadn't made that promise, Maya would have stayed, forever, at her best friends side. Riley needed a shield, that had once been Maya but they were adults now and it was time for Farkle to take over. Maya trusted him.

Next her eyes turned to Shawn, he had offered to drive to the airport but Maya had known dragging out his goodbye would only hurt them both more. She felt fresh tears on her cheeks as the man who had taught her to believe in happy endings hugged her goodbye. "I'll see you soon firecracker," he whispered into her hair, "Be bold." Maya released him and remembered the broken little girl she had been before Shawn had come into her life and loved her in a way even her Father never had. Before him she had known happy endings only in fairy tales and Riley's world, never daring to hope one might exist for her. Shawn had changed that.

"Goodbye Maya!" Topanga ripped Maya's attention from Shawn as she shouted from the upstairs window.  
Cory appeared behind her, holding their new baby in his arms. "You do good!" he yelled down, "Before you do well Maya, make sure you do good!"  
Maya smiled up at her surrogate parents, "I will Mr. Matthews, I promise." She waved wildly to the people who had always influenced her to be a better person, inspired her to have hope and loved her like a daughter and whispered 'thank you.'

Maya opened the car door and was about to get in when someone screamed her name.  
"MAYA! MAYA WAIT!" Lucas ran towards her and she held out her arms to hug him. "I wanted to just let you go," he was out of breath, "but I had to say goodbye. I'm sorry."  
Maya laughed, "I'm glad you came, Ranger Rick. I wanted to say goodbye too."  
Lucas bent down and kissed her forehead before holding the door while she got in the car, "You can still change your mind." He smiled but Maya knew he didn't mean it. They loved eachother in away neither of them could understand, together they were toxic, as friends they were miserable and so they woild have to be apart.  
"You'll always be a huckleberry," Maya spoke quietly, "Please always be a huckleberry." Then she pulled shut the door and told the driver to drive.

"You're doing the right thing, Maya." Josh slides his hand into hers and she turns to look at him. He's every bit as beautiful as he was when she first fell in love with him at thirteen years old. Now she had played the long game and she had won, she wore his ring on her finger and they were moving away to a brand new place just the two of them, to start a life and yet she didn't feel victorious. Maya felt like a loser, because she was starting to doubt that she had been playing the right game.


	2. Chapter 2 (2 Years Later)

_2 years later._

"Josh! Josh wake up!" Maya squealed as she shook her sleeping boyfriend awake. Josh opened his eyes and grunted at her, unhappy at being woken on his only day off this week, "What do you want, you little ferret?"  
Maya jumped up and sat on his legs, "Riley's getting married!" she announced with pure joy on her face. Josh softened immediately, Riley was his niece and of course he was happy to hear she'd found someone worth marrying. "When is it?" he asked, suddenly overcome with panic at having to take time away from work. Maya's joy faded as she realised her boyfriend was once again concerned first and foremost for the job he hated.  
"It's in a month," she told him simply, "but Riley wants me to go back to New York tomorrow. She needs help to plan at short notice and as her maid of honour…" she trailed of as she tried to judge whether Josh was angry at her wanting to leave.  
"Okay," he agreed without hesitation, "I can drive you today and surprise her if you like?"

Maya knew that his gesture meant well and that he didn't mean to make her feel unloved but it didn't stop the tiny part of her heart that broke when he let her go so easily. "Thank you." She said.

It didn't take Maya long to pack, she wasn't one for organisation or careful thought and planning. Thinking about it Riley was crazy to want her help planning a wedding. Josh helped her by reminding her she may need underwear if she wanted to get through a month in New York and they laughed together. Josh made lunch before they left and they ate together for what seemed like the first time in forever. As she watched Josh eat his sandwich with a knife and fork she giggled at his strange habit and remembered the boy she had fallen so deeply in love with. "You'll come down as soon as you can?" she asked.  
Josh looked up from his food and slipped his hand into hers, "I promise, as soon as I can I'll be where I belong. Wherever you are."

Maya and Josh arrived in New York just before dark and Riley greeted them outside her parent's building. She was still living at home as she and Farkle had decided they would move in together after the wedding. Riley greeted them happily, holding Maya in a hug so tight it was as though she thought letting go would cause her friend to disappear. Josh ruffled his niece's hair and lifted Maya's suitcase from the car boot. "Are you staying for dinner?" Riley asked but Josh shook his head. He had to be back for work the next morning, "I'll be back in time for the wedding" he promised. He hugged Riley and then turned to Maya. "This isn't a game anymore, you're not in high school. I'm yours and you're mine. I love you Maya, please remember that."  
Maya ignored what he implied and told him she loved him too, they hugged and kissed goodbye and then Josh drove away.

"Come on," Riley sang as soon as the car disappeared, "Everyone's upstairs, they're all so excited you're here."  
Maya stared at the space that the car had just filled, her heart hurt but she didn't know why. The goodbye with Josh had felt wrong, almost final.  
"Maya," Riley waved her hand in front of Maya's face, "Come on, Lucas will have to leave soon."


	3. Chapter 3 (The beginning of the end)

At Lucas' name, Maya froze. She hadn't heard from Lucas since the days she left New York two years ago. He had completely cut her out of his life by dodging her calls and emails, even when she wrote to him begging him to respond he'd simply sent back the unopened envelope.  
"Maya," Riley's voice brought Maya back to the present. "Josh won't be gone long," her friend fussed and Maya felt guilty that it was in fact Lucas, not her fiancée, who had made her sad. She accepted Riley's hug gladly, allowing the familiar feeling of her friends arms calm her nerves. When they pulled apart Maya managed a smile because even now, when everything from her childhood was ruined and different, Riley was still the same naïve ray of sunshine. The girls walked arm in arm up the same steps Maya had climbed every day before school to pick up her friend. She had left so soon after graduation that it had never occurred to her how much she might miss such little things until they were already gone.

Riley threw open her front door and Maya's eyes were greeted by banners and balloons reading 'WELCOME HOME MAYA'. Her heart caught in her throat as everyone surrounded her, waiting to hug her, and as if by forces beyond her control the girl burst into tears. For a short moment it was as though the world stopped spinning. Everyone stood, frozen by shock as Maya cried fat and ugly tears. Not the kind you would cry at a wedding, not happy tears which glisten with hope these were the kind that make your entire body shake because they are filled with grief, loss or regret. For Maya, they were a release from the loneliness she had suffered every day and though she had forgotten, until now, what it felt like to sob she found that with each staggered breath she felt lighter. As suddenly as it had stopped, the room burst into action. Riley led Maya to the couch and sat her between herself and Shawn. Maya fell into Shawn's arms immediately and began to calm. Topanga made drinks, Cory paced helplessly, Farkle moved Maya's bags. Only Lucas stood completely still.

Shawn was silent for a while, he just sat and stroked Maya's hair until her body stopped shaking. Then he pulled her up to sit and look at him, "what's happened?" he asked. Maya just shook her head; the truth was she didn't really know. Only that she had seen the word home and the decorations and it had hit something in her and she realised there was no home but New York. No matter how hard Josh tried, and she tried, they hadn't built a home.  
"I want to come home," she whispered, "I don't want to go back to California. I hate it there and its making me hate Josh."  
Shawn nodded understandingly, "Okay." He smiled. "If you want to come back to New York, that's your choice and I know Josh will understand." Maya seemed relieved for a moment but Shawn wasn't done. "But Maya," he said seriously, "Josh isn't the only person I know, and you have to decide whether you truly want to be with him because I can see the doubt in your eyes and that means soon enough, so will he

After Maya's outburst no one felt much like celebrating and so the night dwindled quickly and once Shawn said his farewells, dinner had been eaten and everyone had politely caught up everyone soon decided to retire to bed. Farkle left just before, he and Riley said goodbye quickly but it was obvious to everyone that they were really in love. For the first time since middle school Maya felt a pang of jealousy for her best friend. Lucas claimed it was too late for him to catch the subway home and so Topanga set him up a bed on the sofa. Maya slept in Riley's room like she always had and the girls spoke excitedly about the wedding right until Riley fell asleep.  
Maya's episode was completely forgotten and by morning even she felt that it was nothing more than the jittery confusion everyone feels on the brink of change.


	4. Chapter 4 (The subway)

Maya's first day back in New York was a Wednesday and because she woke early she decided to take her camera out and walk for a while. Lucas heard her leave and instinct told him to follow her, he had said nothing to her last night and ignored her for two years but seeing her returned the magnetic feeling he felt which made him gravitate towards wherever she was. He followed Maya to the subway station and for a while watched from a distance as she sat on a bench, blending in with the crowd, snapping pictures of the same spot and each time staring at the screen with the same intensity. His head was begging him to walk away, to turn around, go home and forget all about the blonde beauty who hadn't changed at all. He wanted to forget how much she intrigued him, to forget the protective feeling that washed over him every time he saw her, to forget how seeing her sad broke his heart and most of all he wanted to forget how much he didn't want to forget her. So he didn't walk away, instead he walked towards her, practicing disinterest with every step he took.

"Lucas," She looked up and saw him coming towards her. For a moment she was tempted to ignore him but pride took over and she decided not to give him the satisfaction. "Hey." She smiled sweetly. Lucas was shocked by the friendliness in her voice and the genuine smile which showed her teeth and seemed to travel all the way to her eyes. Lucas continued towards her all disinterest having fade and sat down next to her. "I wanted to say sorry. For ignoring you." He paused, "I just thought you and Josh would be better off without my part." His apology makes Maya feel vulnerable, she had been hoping to avoid talk of Josh as much as possible until she had gotten things straight in her own mind. So now she forced a smile, "It's okay." She replied gently, having almost forgiven him already just because he was here, "I guess you did the right thing." Maya tried to speak with conviction, to convince them both that she loved Josh and was happy with her life. Of course Lucas noticed she was uncomfortable and began to wonder if he might get a second chance after all.

"So, you take photos now?" Lucas made a statement seem like a question and Maya's vulnerability immediately faded.  
She grins, its different from her smile, it is childlike and her huge eyes are filled with hope while sly lips warn Lucas of the teasing which will follow. "I do. You watch me, Ranger Rick?" She laughs, quickly falling back into their old habits. Lucas falters at an attempt to answer but Maya hardly realises he was ever going to speak. "Look over there," she points towards the steps which lead to the street, "Tell me what you see."  
Lucas scoffs at her exercise, deeming it pointless and dull. He walked through this station almost every day and saw the exact same things but he humoured her and began to list, "Grey walls, posters for broad way shows, the umbrella stand, steps, people travelling…" he trailed off as he heard her camera click. "What are you doing?" he snapped.  
Maya just laughed and pushed the screen in front of his face, "now look at the picture," she points out a small bird, perhaps a Robin pushing a baby bird towards the steps. It is such a small part of the picture; it was difficult to make out. "They weren't a part of your list." Maya points out. "Perhaps they're lost and need to get home, or maybe they're running from the stampede which will soon chase them when the sun completely rises. Who knows, but I see them. I take photos because they allow us to see the things we would otherwise miss. Beautiful things, wonderful things. Which are here one minute" she points towards the steps, "and gone the next."

When Maya got back to the Matthews', they were eating breakfast. "Here you go Maya," Topanga called to her, "You need to eat something. It seems Riley has a busy day planned for you both." Maya accepted the plate gratefully and slid into the seat next to Riley. "So bridezilla," she teased, "what will we be doing today."  
Riley's face lit up at the chance to talk about her wedding and began to list the many things which she needed to get done that day. She paused at the end and looked at her friend, "Maya." She spoke with uncertainty. "I was wondering; would you paint something for me?"  
"Sure Riles," she agreed, "What do you want me to paint?"  
Riley sighed with relief. She had been worried to ask Maya as she knew her friend had been struggling with art recently. "I was hoping you could paint us…" 

"Me and Farkle…. And you and Lucas"


	5. Chapter 5 (The shotgun wedding)

As Maya and Riley wandered around New York searching for the smaller wedding essentials which were on Riley's list, they quickly slipped back into the easy conversation they had enjoyed as teenagers. Now almost 22, the girls were facing much more serious issues than thinking they liked the same boy. To Maya's surprise Riley grew tired quickly and begged Maya to stop for a drink. Maya didn't much like sitting in coffee shops anymore, in fact she hadn't even entered one since she left New York as even the smell made her feel something very similar to grief but for Riley she stopped immediately. Riley found an empty table while Maya fetched drinks, smoothies because they were a reminder of the past.

"So, how much can we tick off your list Riles?" Maya asked and Riley pulled out her list and made one green check mark. Maya groaned as she realised they had spent the entire morning searching for the perfect table cards.  
"They had to match the invitations," Riley defended, "I don't want people to think this is a shotgun wedding."  
Maya's heart stopped. Why would Riley say shotgun? A shotgun wedding? Why would anybody think that? Riley and Farkle had been together for years now.  
"Actually Maya," Riley was hesitant, she wasn't sure how her friend would take her news, if she was honest she wasn't even sure how she felt about it and now thinking about everything tears welled in her eyes. "I have to tell you something."

" _Farkle? Can you see to Carly please? I'm trying to sort her dinner!" Riley shouted to her boyfriend who was lying on the couch playing video games. She understood that he had a busy schedule with still studying to be a surgeon and working at the local medical centre part time but sometimes she felt like he forgot that she was busy too. She had decided to take a year out of studying after high school and had never found the right time to return so by now had settled for a job in a salon where she made idle conversation with rude customers and painted the nails of stuck up teens. It wasn't the dream, but she worked hard and she looked after her sister a lot of the time so that her parents could carry on working. Carly was almost three years old now and asides from her eyes she looked nothing like Riley or Auggie. She was the most beautiful of the three and sometimes Riley felt jealousy towards her sister who had wavy blonde hair and a tiny frame, similar to the jealousy she had once felt towards Maya. However, above that she loved Carly and spending time with her was fun but Farkle didn't think so. He loathed looking after Carly as she begged him to play games with her that he just couldn't grasp. She was too innocent and needy for Farkle's liking, there was nothing intellectual about her only playing babies and watching Barbie on T.V.  
"For goodness sake Riley," he snapped, "she's your sister!" Riley sighed as she looked over to see that he hadn't moved and she knew he wasn't going to so she turned down the stove and wandered into Carly's room to fetch her. _

_By the time Cory came home from parents evening Riley had already but Carly to bed and Farkle had retired not long after. Riley was sitting on the sofa alone watching reruns of some show she and Maya had loved when they were in middle school. "What's wrong Riley?" Cory was concerned, "you haven't been yourself for weeks." Riley turned off the t.v and moved so that he could sit beside her. "Sometimes I think about everything that could have been," she explained, "I wonder what would have happened if Lucas had loved me and not Maya."  
Cory interrupted, "If you remember Riles, he didn't love either of you. He hurt Maya way more than he ever hurt you. In fact, after everything he did I'm surprised either of you still call him friend. If that had been you…"  
Riley flinched at the memory, "I know but sometimes I feel like I'm not enough for Farkle. He has so much to offer the world and maybe I'm holding him back."  
"Why now?" Cory asked, "Why are you thinking this now? Do you miss Maya? You could always go and visit. Josh only called last week to say he's worried about her, she's feeling exactly the same as you by the sounds of it."  
"No, not this time." Riley smiled softly as she moved her hand to her stomach. This time she had something that Maya couldn't have. _

_Riley talked with her Father for a while before heading to bed. She shook Farkle awake, determined that she would actually do it this time. "Farkle," she whispered, "I have to tell you something." Farkle opened his eyes slightly.  
"What do you want Riley?" he grunted.  
"I'm pregnant."_

"I'm going to have a baby, Maya."


	6. Chapter 6 (Maya's truth)

Maya sat in shock. She didn't know what to say, Riley didn't look like an excited Mother to be. She looked terrified, perhaps even devastated and Maya wasn't sure if she should offer congratulations or tell her friend she was sorry. In the end she didn't have to decide because Riley spoke first; "when I found out I was really excited. I always wanted to be somebody's mum, to have a family." Riley's eyes filled with tears as she continued, "and then I realised that Farkle doesn't want to be somebody's dad, he's just not ready." Maya nodded as she began to understand what Riley was trying to say.  
"You're scared it will be too much for him?" she asked gently, holding her best friends hand across the table. "You're worried he'll leave you?"  
Riley nodded and no longer able to hold back her pain she fell to pieces in Maya's safe arms.

Maya was angry. Angrier than she could remember being in a long time. When her and Lucas had dated, briefly but intensely, he had sparked an anger in her which sent her crazy. She had fought for him and he for her but somehow they were never on the same team. Josh didn't make her feel like that, he was stable and good. They went out together every Friday night and sometimes he brought her breakfast in bed on Sundays. Josh opened doors for her and promised to support her in whatever she decided but somewhere along the way they had both lost who they were. Hearing that Farkle had not only failed to protect Riley but been the very thing she needed protecting from made Maya remember how exciting it was to love someone so fiercely. Perhaps she was miserable because she needed to love a man in the same way she loved Riley. But right now wasn't about her and her empty life, it was about Riley's very not empty stomach and the fact that Farkle was doing nothing about it. After dropping Riley home and into bed for a nap Maya headed straight to the hospital where Farkle worked. She had no idea what she was going to do but she knew she had to do something.

With an unusual stroke of luck Farkle was on a break when Maya arrived and they found a spot in the cafeteria. "Riley's pregnant." Maya demanded as soon as they sat down. Farkle dropped his head and nodded slightly, "she told you." He sounded defeated.  
"Of course she told me," Maya was almost shouting, "I'm her best friend and she needs someone since you're not there for her anymore. What happened Farkle? Why aren't you supporting her instead of rushing her into this wedding? You want to look like you have it together right? Well you don't because she's devastated and she thinks you don't want her or your baby."  
Farkle stared at her now, straight in the eyes. "You're her best friend?" he nearly laughed and Maya felt a fresh wave of anger, "Where have you been? Where were you when she couldn't find the motivation to go back to school? Were you here when she almost lost it when Lucas was thinking about leaving? We all stayed. Besides she wanted this wedding, not me. I'm not forcing Riley into anything."  
"Oh." Maya thought about it and soon realised he was right, she hadn't even known Lucas had considered leaving. As far as she'd known Riley had always been happy and well. It also made sense for it to be Riley who was pushing for a wedding, her naïve best friend would believe that a ring would prevent Farkle from leaving. Maya wished she didn't know how wrong this idea was. She stayed with Farkle until the end of his break and the two quickly patched things up, they had been friends a very long time and as far as Farkle was concerned Maya was here now and that was what counted.

Maya decided to walk back to Riley's instead of taking the subway. Today had highlighted some big issues to her and she was more determined than ever to return to New York. She just had a lot of things to think about first. Maya had often walked home alone as a teenager, it had given her a chance to reflect on the day and her life. Sometimes she had even dreamed about her future, her hopes were all of things that she now had. Josh had been a fantasy to her at fourteen, at sixteen he had told her someday and now someday had come. Art had always been her passion, she saw beauty in things that to others were ordinary and then when Shawn had taught her about photography she had come to love that too. Now she was a success, she had her own gallery and plenty of wonderful people who wanted to work with her. She hadn't need college, she had talent and her success had proved it. She had a house with huge open windows that let in the perfect light, there was a beach on her doorstep and she had even made a couple of friends, it was everything she had dreamed of and yet it wasn't.

"Hey blondie." Maya swung around as a familiar voice interrupted her internal conflicts.  
She growled in reply, "what do you want Huckleberry? You really should stop following me." Lucas laughed a little, "Farkle called me, he said you'd been to see him. He's worried about you and so here I am, the only person in the entire world who can contain Maya Hart."  
Maya narrowed her eyes at him, "Josh contains me just fine, Ranger Rick, I don't need you."  
She expected him to appear hurt but he just carried on smiling, "Not this you, Maya." Lucas sighed, "He contains the you that falls at his feet desperate to be accepted not this you. Not my you."  
Maya began to walk faster, "First of all I am not desperate, just in love. You should try it some time. Second there is no me that belongs to you, not anymore." Her heart hurt at the memory but she pushed all of them away.  
"Okay Maya, okay. At least let me walk you home."


	7. Chapter 7 (The past still happened)

**THIS CHAPTER MAY SEEM DISTRESSING FOR SOME READERS SO PLEASE TAKE CAUTION BEFORE YOU READ.**

 _Lucas placed the vase of pink Iris' on the table, they were the final touch to the candlelight meal he had prepared for his girlfriend. Maya was not the type of girl who revelled in treats and being spoilt, she liked to watch movies on the sofa with takeout pizza and her idea of a date was sitting in a park painting the sky or seeing the latest horror released in the cinema. However, tonight Lucas wanted to do something different, he wanted to show Maya that he adored her. Five minutes before she was due to get to his house he turned on the oven to warm the food his Mother had cooked for them, found a seat on the couch and turned on the T.V. Time passed and Maya didn't appear. Half an hour after she was meant to arrive Lucas turned the oven off in an attempt to save the food, blew out the candles and tried to call his girlfriend. He got her voicemail and began to worry.  
HEY RILES, IS MAYA WITH YOU? SHE WAS MEANT TO BE HEAR HALF AN HOUR AGO AND ISNT PICKING UP. LET ME KNOW PLEASE? XX  
Lucas pressed send and waited for a reply. As always Riley replied in seconds.  
HEY LUKE, SHE'S WITH ME AND FARKLE AT THE CINEMA. HER PHONES DEAD AND SHE COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT DINNER. WILL COME STRAIGHT TO YOURS FROM HERE. _

_Lucas was shocked. He knew Maya was forgetful and he often had to remind her that they had plans but today he had spoken to her just hours ago at school when she had agreed to be at his for 6. Even more insulting was that she was with Riley and Farkle. Lucas had joined their group of friends late and he accepted that there were some things he would never be a part of, but their complete disregard for his feelings hurt a lot. Especially Maya's. Despite this Lucas covered the food with tinfoil in the hope that he and Maya could still have their date night and settled down on the sofa to watch a western until she arrived._

 _Two hours later he recognised her bang on the door. "It's open." He yelled to her but she was already opening the living room door having let herself in.  
"Hey Luke." She grinned seemingly oblivious to the effort he had gone to making tonight special for them. "The film was brilliant, we went to see that new horror that you were scared to watch with me."  
Lucas forced himself to smile and tell her he was glad she had a good time, "come on," he said afterwards, "I've managed to save dinner." He noticed Maya's frown before she even knew she was wearing it. "What's wrong Maya?"  
Maya grimaced and moved to hug him but he held her away until he knew what was wrong. "I ate at the movies," she spoke slowly, "I didn't think you'd wait..." her voice trailed off as she stared at the floor. _

_Lucas grabbed her arm and dragged her into the kitchen. "Lucas you're hurting me!" Maya complained but he didn't loosen his grip on her.  
"Look," he shouted and his voice seemed to Maya as though it shook the entire house, "I tried so hard tonight and you couldn't even remember you have a boyfriend."  
"You're hurting me Lucas." Maya repeated and Lucas let go but he wasn't finished. He took the dish from the oven and threw at the wall behind Maya's head, it exploded against the wall only just missing Maya. "LUCAS!" she screamed.  
"Riley and Farkle will always be your priority won't they?" Lucas continued to shout as he walked back towards Maya and dragged the table cloth from the table sending he decorations flying. As he did his elbow flew backwards connecting with Maya's eye.  
"LUCAS!" Maya screamed again as her hand shot to her eye. _

" _Maya!" Lucas was shocked. He wet a towel and handed it to his girlfriend, "here hold this against it." Maya accepted the towel and allowed herself to be led out of the kitchen and sat on the couch. Lucas sat down next to her but didn't touch her, he had never meant to harm her. He had only wanted her to see, in the heat of that moment, how hurt he was.  
"I'm so sorry Maya," he whispered. Barely even able to look at her, he trained his eyes to the ground, "p-please know that I would never hurt you on purpose." Maya removed the towel from her eye and looked up at him. Her eye was quickly turning purple and a fresh wave of guilt washed over Lucas, "Maya I am so sorry."  
Maya squeezed his knee and smiled gently, "It was an accident Huckleberry," she soothed, "I'll be okay."  
Lucas made Maya sit and hold the compress on her eye while he tided the kitchen and tortured himself for harming her. When he was finished he walked her home but didn't go in. Shawn would be there and he didn't want to explain why he was bringing home his step daughter with a brand new black eye. "I love you Maya." He told her as they said goodbye.  
"I know Huckleberry, I know." _

_Maya walked away._

 _ **HEY GUYS, I WAS WONDERING WHAT YOU THINK SO FAR? IF YOU COULD LEAVE REVIEWS THAT WOULD BE GREAT. ALSO WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN MAYA AND LUCAS IN THE PAST OR ARE YOU MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE? AND SHOULD RILEY BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN MAYA'S DECISIONS?**_

 _ **THANK YOU FOR READING THOUGH.  
THIS IS MY FIRST STORY AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT**_


	8. Chapter 8 (Riley's doubt)

Riley and Maya stood side by side facing the silver framed mirror which covered the back wall of the dressing room and for a short and fleeting moment they were 16 again. When you are sixteen years old you dream of this moment but what you don't realise at 16 is that when the moment comes there will be a small part of you that whispers to time, "please turn back."  
Riley stared at the dress she had picked out, it wasn't white but ivory, it wasn't quite pure but it was close. It didn't have puffed sleeves or a huge skirt, there were no diamantes decorating its trim. The dress she had chosen was straight and simple, it was twin strapped with a sweetheart neckline and little decoration. Her eyes moved to Maya who had chosen a red dress that fell just above her knee, it pulled in at the waste to showcase her tiny waistline and it had netting underneath the skirt to make it float. It was not too unalike the one she had worn to their final middle school dance. Riley sighed, "nothing feels right."

Maya changed back into her own clothes and hung her dress back on the rail. Wearing the dress had made her feel things she hadn't felt for a long time. He had danced with her, that was true, but she wasn't his first choice. She ran her fingers along the dresses as she searched for one which would bring back her sunshine, her optimist, her good influence of a best friend. Looking for Riley distracted her, it made her feel whole because someone else wasn't but as she looked through the dresses she couldn't help but wonder why she and Josh had never taken the leap. They were engaged, they were successful, they had their whole lives but neither was ready to begin them.  
"Maya Hart?"  
Maya jumped at the sound of her name. She turned to see a woman standing behind her with wild curly hair and a really kind smile. "Angela?" Maya was too afraid to be right and her eyes automatically shot to the woman's hands as she searched for a wedding ring.  
"Hi Maya," Angela spoke softly, "You're getting married?"

Maya and Riley sat across the table from Angela in silence. The first interruption came from the waiter who took their orders. Then, when Maya couldn't take the silence a moment longer she finally spoke the words which might ruin the life she had come to hope would last forever.  
"Why are you in New York?"  
Angela nodded, "I have a daughter now," she explained, "her name is Sienna and she's two. I never married her father because I found out I was pregnant."  
Riley's eyes grew wide and her hand shot to her stomach as she felt a surge of love for the child she carried.  
"Anyway. It wasn't the right time, but now I know that I never want to leave behind the love that I've found. I know who I am now because Sienna showed me that sometimes God knows what he's doing and I trust that now is the right time to marry the man that I love. The man that Shawn made me ready for."

Riley was quiet for the rest of the day. She didn't smile at the puppy on the subway, she didn't give money to the homeless man who she walked past every single day and she didn't call Farkle to tell him she was okay. When the girls got home she went straight to her bedroom and didn't come down for dinner. Maya waited for a parcel she had ordered that day to be delivered and then went to speak to her friend.  
"Do you believe in God, Maya?" Riley asked distantly as she stared out of the bay window. Maya tried to stare at the same spot but she couldn't find it so instead she looked at Riley, "I believe in something," she replied.  
Riley was unsatisfied. "But do you think there's something bigger than us, something bigger than the world we live in, Maya?" she pushed further turning now to face Maya with desperate eyes.

Maya frowned, "I don't believe that there is a being who will punish or disregard you because of any choice or mistake Riles." She looked pointedly at her best friend's stomach and placed her palm gently across where the baby was slowly growing inside.  
"So what do you believe?"  
Maya smiled now, "I believe in Fate. I used to think that good things couldn't happen to me, that your 'God' didn't love me, that the universe was completely against me. I was wrong Riles, I can see now that all of the bad stuff it made me strong and ready for the good. Josh was right, I have a big capacity for love and I use it every day. I only get to do that because of the bad things. I believe that the universe, God or whoever you want to believe in, I believe they have a plan."

Riley smiled for the first time since they had spoken to Angela, "I want to get married Maya. Not for the baby, not even for Farkle or for God. I want to get married because I believe in love and I have always believed in good things. This is a good thing." She placed her hand on top of Maya's, "Hope," she whispered, "I'm going to call her Hope."  
Maya grinned, "I'm glad you feel that way because I kind of got you something. Close your eyes." Riley closed her eyes and Maya hurriedly pulled the covers off her present and hung it on the door of the wardrobe. "Open your eyes." She moved away from the wardrobe as Riley opened her eyes and immediately burst into tears.  
"Maya, its perfect." Riley sobbed as she hugged her best friend tightly, "thank you."

Hanging on the wardrobe door was a white dress with puff sleeves and a low neckline decorated with glittering pink and white diamantes which continued in beautiful flower patterns all the way down to the end of the dresses long train.


End file.
